Shirin Jaafari is a reporter for The World focusing on the Middle East. She has covered conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Ukraine. Her reporting focuses on current events, politics, conflict and human rights. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Harvard’s Extension School. Before joining The World, Shirin worked for the BBC in Washington, DC. Shirin was a finalist for the Livingston Award for Young Journalists in 2009 and she received an honorable mention from the Gracie Award in 2022 for her coverage of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.When not filing for radio, she can be found hiking and camping in the mountains.You can find her on Twitter @Shirinj.
Christians in historic town in Syria reflect on new moment in the country
Last December, after more than a decade of fighting, forces opposing President Bashar al-Assad ousted him from power. Some people in Maaloula, long a center for Christianity in Syria, shared their concerns and hopes for the future under the new government, which has a conservative, Islamist past.
Many Palestinians in Gaza have no homes left to return to
As the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continues to hold, Palestinians have been making their way back to their homes in Gaza. But many of them are finding that their homes are gone. The UN estimates that 70% of the total structures in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed and that it could take decades just to clear the rubble.
They were part of Afghanistan’s first-ever all-female flight. Then their lives were turned upside down.
In 2021, six women — two pilots and four cabin crew — participated in Afghanistan’s first-ever all-female flight. It was a historic moment. Their photos and videos were shared all over the world. Then, a few months later, their lives were turned upside down when the Taliban toppled the Afghan government and took over the country.
What we know about the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas
After months of back and forth, Hamas and Israel appear to have reached a ceasefire deal. The agreement, which was mediated by Egypt, the US and Qatar, will be carried out in three phases. The World’s Shirin Jaafari speaks with host Marco Werman about the latest.
